Ben Linfoot Value Bet: Royal Ascot day five tips

Recommended Bets: Value Bet, Royal Ascot Day Five

1pt win Central Square in 3.05 Royal Ascot at 8/1

1pt win Tasleet in 4.20 Royal Ascot at 9/1

1pt e.w Amazour in 5.00 Royal Ascot at 25/1

1pt win Normandy Barriere in 5.00 Royal Ascot at 14/1

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If you love nothing more than a big-field six-furlong sprint then Royal Ascot saves the best for last with the Diamond Jubilee Stakes and Wokingham Handicap taking centre stage on the final day of the meeting.

The Group One Diamond Jubilee Stakes sees the return of Henry Candy’s Limato, a superstar over a variety of trips that hasn’t been seen since finishing down the field on yielding ground at Meydan back in March.

He goes well fresh, so his absence isn’t a concern, and he’s got his ground as well as he loves the fast conditions. Clear on official ratings at 122, he’s a worthy favourite at around 11/4.

However, Limato has been put in his place by a top-class sprinter at Ascot before, as he chased home Muhaarar in the inaugural Commonwealth Cup and in the same Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum colours TASLEET could repeat the feat.

Very much the new kid on the block on the sprinting scene, Tasleet dropped back to six furlongs for the first time since his two-year-old days last time and he took apart a smart field in the Group Two Duke Of York Stakes on the Knavesmire.

The son of Showcasing came there swinging two out under Jim Crowley and he took off once switched into clear daylight on the outside, beating Magical Memory two and a half lengths with The Tin Man over six lengths in arrears in fifth.

The Tin Man was carrying a 5lb penalty that day, but, even so, he has a job on to reverse the York form with Tasleet yet he finds himself two or three points shorter in the market, as does Magical Memory.

That York race was on soft ground, but connections of Tasleet were worried about the going beforehand and he looks pretty versatile regarding underfoot conditions, so the return to a fast surface is nothing to get concerned about.

Judging by that York win he’s got more to offer over sprinting trips yet and the thing that could unlock even further improvement in him is the stiff six furlongs at Ascot.

He coped with a sharp six on soft ground really well at York, but he stays seven and a strongly-run six at a stiff track like Ascot could well be his optimum course and distance.

The combination of the cheekpieces and six furlongs worked the oracle last time and given the ease in which he did it there’s no reason why he can’t improve again.

If he does, even a top-form Limato will have a fight on his hands and at 9/1 (Bet Victor, Coral) it’s Tasleet that represents the best value.

Haggas has a couple of interesting representatives in the Wokingham, too, with Squats and Raucous running for the Newmarket handler. The latter is of particular interest in first-time blinkers with Ryan Moore booked.

However, the one that stands out at the prices is Ismail Mohammed’s AMAZOUR and at 25/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook ¼ 1,2,3,4) he’s worth an each-way bet.

This horse stays seven furlongs well but there’s plenty of evidence to suggest a hell-for-leather six on the Ascot straight course will play to his strengths.

I like that he’s got good form at Newcastle and his last two victories have come on the six-furlong straight course at Gosforth Park off marks of 92 and 96. All of his all-weather losses since that second victory have come around bends, but he looked in good nick on his return to a straight six at Haydock in a conditions race on May 13.

He beat horses rated 104, 101, 109 and 102 when finishing third that day, but the handicapper left him alone on 99, a rating that sees him sneak into this race towards the bottom of the weights.

A well-handicapped sprinter that stays further and looks certain to be suited by the demands of this contest, Amazour is worth backing from stall two on the far side.

This being the Wokingham, one horse just isn’t enough and there are a plethora of fancied horses drawn high towards the stands’ side.

Outback Traveller and Projection dominate the market from stalls 23 and 28 respectively, but at 14/1 (General) I want NORMANDY BARRIERE on side from stall 26.

William Buick gets on great guns with this horse having won on him three times from four goes, the pair finishing second on the other occasion they were together.

It’s good to see he gets the leg up on him again following the withdrawal of Culturati, despite his employers Godolphin having a few other runners in the field, as two of Buick’s three victories on the horse have come at Ascot.

One of those included his last win on May 12, where he beat a few other Ascot specialists pretty comfortably off a mark of 96, his subsequent 4lb rise probably delighting connections as it ensured his participation in this race.

This is his toughest assignment yet, but he’s improving, loves the track and goes well on the ground, so at 14/1 he’s the one I’m most interested in from those drawn towards the stands’ side.

Finally, the presence of Khairaat in the Wolferton Handicap (3.05) means CENTRAL SQUARE is available at a very backable 8/1 (General).

Sir Michael Stoute’s Khairaat could be anything and may well be up to defying a 13lb rise in the weights following his Chester win, but if this is too much too soon then Central Square looks the one most likely to take advantage.

Progressive at the back end of last season, he won in first-time blinkers at the St Leger meeting before leaving his challenge too late when running on for third at York.

An unsuccessful experiment over hurdles at Huntingdon aside, Central Square has been seen just the once since and that was a hugely eye-catching performance at Newmarket on May 6.

Held up by Andrea Atzeni over nine furlongs, he stayed on really nicely in the closing stages for a never-nearer third, shaping as though the step back up to 10 would be ideal.

He does that here and the blinkers left off on his seasonal return are back on as well, so everything is in place for a big run. 

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Ben Linfoot's Value Bet aim: The Value Bet is designed to generate long-term profit by searching for overpriced horses in the feature weekend races and at the big Festivals in the UK. Running total: +386.99pts to advised stakes/prices (from inception of Value Bet column in January 2010 to current). 

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Posted at 1700 BST on 23/06/17.